Blogger Love TAG!

Hello everyone!

Today I thought I would answer the questions to the 'blogger love tag' so you get to know a little bit more about my blogging journey and also this is a great tag to share the love for all the other bloggers I love. So...lets get started!

What was the first blog you came across?
I have been watching lots of the beauty gurus on YouTube for almost 5 years now which is crazy but the first youtuber I stumbled across is xrubyredlips. I still watch her now and she is brilliant, its been great to watch her grow up from when she just a teenager to a young adult.

Favourite beauty blog reads?

This is kind of similar to another questions so see my answers for question 4 and be sure to check out those blogs. 

Name a blog that enables your purchases
For sure either Lily Pebbles or Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup they are always hauling things and I just cant help but want everything they show!

5 blogs everyone should be reading?

MissBeautyObssession

BroganTatexo

BeautyInBeta

BethanyWorrall

ShonaLouise

Your favourite way to read blogs
My favourite way to read blogs is through Bloglovin'. I love it because I can read blogs on the go wherever I am. I use the app and its amazing! Although I do love the old school sitting in my room reading blogs on my laptop too. 

Bloggers that inspire me?

I would have to say Zoella, because her journey is incredible and I have watched her grow from 20,000 subscribers which at the time I was blown away by that many people and now she is almost at 6 million subscribers..its insane and also her blog is amazing too. 

Favourite blog design/look:
I love the simple chic blogs like Beauty Crush the monochrome style is so effortless and I am obsessed with her youtube videos and blog posts. 

What is your favourite thing about blogging?

My favourite thing about blogging is the incredible people I have met and the opportunities I have been given, I also love the interaction especially through the #bbloggers on twitter. I love the weekly chats to talk to new bloggers. 

Name a blogger you would like to see write a book in the future?

This is a toughy because I have never really considered this but I would love to see a collab book with AmeliaLiana, Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup, Lily Pebbles and Ruth Crilly. It could be a beauty book and Amelia could do a section on hair and Ruth could do a section on skincare, and then Anna and Lily could be the makeup experts. How cool would that be?

I hope you enjoyed this post and check out all the people mentioned. 

Book Haul: WH-Smiths

Hello everyone!

So at the start of this year I set myself a goal. To read 14 books for the year of 2014. To some people it doesn't sound like a lot but for me that's a pretty huge number of books to read. I have already read 6 so far and am currently half way through my seventh which is Madeline by Kate McCann. It's the story of how Madeline McCann got kidnapped on holiday in Portugal and ever since the book came out I have been really intrigued to read it and I have to say it's so mind opening. I went on a trip to WH-Smiths and brought so new books that I thought I would share with you. 

The first one I brought I got from a book sale from a hotel I stayed in about a month ago. I'm not the biggest Katie Price fan however I do like her books and have quite a few. This one I don't have so I thought I would pick it up!

The next one I wanted to get because I watched a 'This Morning' interview where this mother who sadly died of cancer left her husband a list of things to do with her children and I was really interested in seeing what she had left so I brought this one in WH-Smiths for £5.99. If you want to watch the interview here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8lGXXF6neQ

Also from WH-Smiths I had to buy probably the most talked about book other than 50 shades of grey haha. The fault in our stars. Everyone and their dogs neighbour have read this book so I brought it. I am yet to read it but stay tuned and I will let you know my thoughts.

Finally the last one is written by one of my favourite authors 'Sophie Kinsella'. I love her books and have read quite a few of them but I haven't read this one. Again I will let you know if it is any good.

Let me know if you like reading books, or what you are currently reading?

Youtube Channel and Video Roundup #August

Hello everyone!

Today's post is my monthly round up of my Youtube Videos. If you didn't know I have a Youtube channel, I post every Sunday different beauty related videos. This month I posted two videos but so far I have four up. I will leave a link to my channel and be sure to subscribe if you enjoy my videos. 

This month I only uploaded two videos, one was a Q&A where I discussed everything from boyfriends to work experience. The other video was my monthly August favourites telling you all the beauty and random favourites I loved from August.  You can always find my latest video in the sidebar on my blog. 

Check back to my channel every Sunday for new content. I hope you enjoy them and leave any requests you may have in the comments section below.

Youtube Channel Link: (copy and paste the link)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCORWnOLtzqD4347n6eV0Ksg

Miss Selfridge Autumn Wishlist

Hello everyone!
I have been browsing lots of websites recently to revamp my wardrobe especially with autumn and winter in mind as they are quickly approaching. I have never really been a huge fan of Miss Selfridge before but I have been looking through their website and found a few gems that I love and would love to pick up. Below are my picks of different things I am really wanting to pick up.

Lilac Fluffy Tee Botanical Print Shirt Long Sleeve Scallop Lace Top Textured Pink Floral Bardot Top Mint Texture Trumpet Hem Dress Mint Wrap Skort  Embellished Collar Shirt Mint V Neck Shell Top White Ottoman Crew Neck Jumper
What shops have you been loving? Will you be picking any of these items up?

DRUGSTORE SERIES GUEST POST: Lipsticks

Hi Beautifuls!

So let me first quickly introduce myself. My name is Nicky Kaur from www.nickykaur.blogspot.com. I am a passionate fashion and beauty blogger as well as a student who loves anything and everything beauty related from lipstick to mascara and heels to statement necklaces. Before I begin rambling I best start on the post as I’m one of those people who could talk for years!

My favourites are in no particular order, as for a self-confessed lippy hoarder like myself that would be asking me of the impossible! Just narrowing it down to five was hard enough!

Okay so let’s kick this off with my ‘go to’ lipstick which I have done an FIF with on my blog, Revlon’s Super Lustrous lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon is literally the most perfect everyday nude pink ‘your lips but better’ sort of colour which I absolutely adore! The texture is so super creamy and is one of those colours that I think would look lovely on many skin tones. If out of any of these products this is something you really must try, or even just pop into your local drugstore and just swatch it and I’m sure you’ll fall in love the way I did!

Next is Rimmel’s Moisture Renew in the shade ‘Let’s Get Naked’ discovered from watching Coffee Break with Dani from YouTube, she would always wear this lipstick in many of her videos and as soon as I found out what it was I was off to boots within the hour to pick one up for myself, yes literally an hour. One thing I have to stress is just how lovely not only the colour and creamy texture is but the smell... my oh my!! I am one of those bloggers who are very fussy about scented products and I normally tend not to like many scent but Rimmel has really done a good job with this lipstick! It almost smells like Nivea but better. It’s a lovely nude colour which is uber moisturising (hence the name lasting moisture). This is the best nude I have found that works with my skin tone as I find many tend to wash me out completely.

Last summer Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon was something that every beauty blogger seemed to have it was all the rage and rightly so! It is obvious just how well loved this is as the writing has all seemed to have rubbed off. Peach on the Beach is such a gorgeous peachy pink shade which may not be the most long wearing lipstick however the colour payoff is just wow. I cannot put into words how much I love the colour of this particular shade, yes it is a bit of a cheat as it’s not an actual lipstick but I simply could not just leave it out. If you are looking for a peachy pink then I would definitely recommend this one.

A lot of the lipsticks I pick out tend to be ones that I have seen other beauty bloggers/vloggers use themselves and this one I saw Raisa Cheema use in one of her videos and I instantly wanted to try it out for myself. I do sometimes tend to shy away from reds and such colours but this is one of those that can be used as a transition into getting the confidence to wear such red colours. Although this does have orange undertones it actually doesn’t make my teeth look yellow which I was honestly quite shocked about which made me feel more drawn towards it. I can see myself wearing it even more in the summer months (or probably days as we seem to get in England). Out of all of the lipsticks mentioned in this post I think it’s a tie between this and the next lipstick in regards to longevity that much so that they both stained my arms when I tried to swatch them. Seventeen Stay pout lipstick.

This lipstick is the one I was most excited to tell you about as we can get it from Next stores in England!! I know right, how exciting! It feels like we've been waiting forever so as soon I heard the news I was literally stalking my next store, don’t worry I’m not really that much of a creep lol. NYX does some really lovely matte shades which are incredibly long wearing. Bloody Mary by NYX is something which took me a lot to wear as it is a red shade and seemed quite daring for me as I stayed away from my normal pink lipstick comfort zone. This lipstick somehow made my skin look clearer even in some pictures it was quite noticeable and gave me a fresh faced kinda look, obviously aside from the bold red lip. Another colour I would recommend if you’re not so sure of red shades is Angel from the same collection, a more of a brighter pink shade which has the same lovely consistency; did that really surprise you that I mentioned yet another pink? One thing I still do with all lipsticks that I wear is put a thin layer of lip balm underneath just to reduce any drying that may occur from reapplying lipsticks throughout the day.

Okay so that’s all my top five favourite drugstore lipsticks! The best thing is that all these lipsticks are so affordable and tend to be on offer a lot of the time. Just want to say a big thank you to the gorgeous Sophie (a.k.a CosmeticsCase) for allowing me to guest blog here on her amazing blog! This has been a very exciting opportunity and I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have! If you have any questions please ask away!

Nicky xo

Instagram - Bloglovin’-Twitter

DRUGSTORE SERIES GUEST POST: Palletes

Hello everyone,

Hearing that lovely Sophie from CosmeticsCase was on the hunt for bloggers to share their top 5 drugstore beauty items of the one type of product, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm a sucker for drugstore products. My contribution will be palettes. I wanted to share my favourite palettes as they are very few and far between in drug stores. The high end brands tend to steal our attention. Especially eyeshadow and multi-use palettes. But there are a few drug store gems that are worth a look or maybe even a purchase if you like. I would definitely suggest investing in a palette as they are great value for money and save storage space. 

Let me show you exactly what I mean. Que the palette love...

01. Sleek iDivine Palette in "Showstoppers" (LE) £7.99

Top Row: Paraguaya / Sunset / Me Myself And Eye / Bad Girl / Noir / Ultramattes V2. Bottom Row: Oh So Special / Bohemian / Storm / Sparkle / Au Natural / Graphite.

I have just recently picked up this palette and tend to do so with Limited Edition products. Sleek iDivine eyeshadow palettes are mineral based which gives them a their amazing creamy texture. Showstoppers holds the perfect combination of matte, shimmer and glitter shadows. The shadows are accompanied with a large mirror (woops for on the go) and a double ended sponge brush although I never use these and wouldn't recommend them. My favourite shades are Bad Girl (a unique golden green with green glitters), Bohemian (a classic matte coral), Sparkle (a champagne highlight) and Au Natural (a deep purple with slight glitters throughout).

Why I love this palette:

• The colour and finish selection of the shadows are excellent 
• They are super creamy and blendable
• The pigmentation is just perfect
• Sleek packaging is classic and elegant
• £7.99 for 12 great quality shadows - perfect!

02. MUA "Pro Brow" Ultimate Brow Kit £3.50

I understand that this isn't necessarily a 'palette' so to speak but I wanted to add a wide variety into this post. But is you are like myself and use two colours to shape and define my brows this is for you. The kit by MUA is similar to brow kits from Benefit and Sleek Make Up, but this one only cashes in at £3.50. Included in the kit is 2 brow shades, a gel to set the brows and what is meant to be a highlight but for me its way to peach toned to use on my brow bone. But when all else fails - the shades can double up as eyeshadows! I would recommend that those with blonde hair or light dark hair use the ashy toned brown and those with medium brown - dark brown/black hair use the darkest shade.

Why I love this palette:

• The formula of the brow powders are pretty smooth
• It comes with mini tweezers and angled brush
• The gel is perfect for setting those brows in place

03. Sleek Blush By 3 "Pink Lemonade" Blush Palette £7.99

Shades: Icing Sugar / Macaroon / Pink Mint

Sleek states that these blush shades contain intense pigment that are complementary shades or they can also be used blended together. Sleek recommends you layer the shades for further intensity. After swatching just one swipe, I gasped at the pigmentation and formula of Sleek's blushes. Pink Lemonade is a mixture of powder and cream blushes. Icing Sugar (a true princess pink with shimmers) and Pink Mint (a terracotta coral with gold glitters) are powders whereas Macaroon (a mid-toned pink and satin finish) is a cream. Before using this palette, I was pro powder blush. However, Macaroon is stunning and great to wear.

Why I love this palette:

• The pigmentation is phenomenal
• Great staying power
• The price of a singular Sleek Blush is £4.49 (3 for £7.99 is a steal)
•  The shades are so very pretty and suit universal skin tones

04. MUA "Undressed" Eyeshadow Palette £4

Top Row: Shade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Bottom Row: Shade 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

An oldie but a goodie (as you can see from the hot mess packaging). The only thing not so great about MUA palettes are the packaging. I have a few and all of my lids break off although I think they're working on that. Undressed contains a mixture of shimmer, satin and matte finishes. The palette is filled with pretty neutral shades and a few of them could be dupes for Urban Decay Naked palette shades. My favourites are Shade 1 (a natural peach), Shade 2 (a pink toned shimmer - dupe for MAC's Jest), Shade 3 (a mid-toned brown - great transition colour) and Shade 9 (a rose gold shimmer). 

Why I love this palette:

• Variety of pretty nudes
• 12 decent shadows for £4
• They are easy to blend and work with
• When the metallic's are used wet it transforms them into an intense pigment

05. MUA "Scarlet" Lipstick Trio £2.50

Shades: Light Pink / Fuchsia / Coral

Again, not technically a palette but it contains more than one product. I was so impressed with how smoothly and pigmented these lip shades applied to the lips. They are not highly opaque but f you are on a budget, I would definitely recommend this lip trio. The last shade was closest to my lip colour, giving them a 'my lips but better' colour which I adore. They shades might not show up if you have a much darker skin tone than mine with already pigmented lips. MUA also have this trio in darker shades though for those who don't think these shades will work for them.

Why I love this palette:

• The pretty shade selection
• They are not sticky 
• Doesn't drag the lips on application
• The fuchsia shade has the most longevity 

As I could only pick 5 palettes, I suggest you check out Collections 9 piece eyeshadow palettes as they have good variation of shades and tell you where to place each shadow if you are a beginner. Barry M also has some pretty eyeshadow palettes out at the moment. In regards to price, quality and variety - Sleek Makeup and MUA really do accommodate for beauty addicts on a budget. All products listed were purchased from Superdrug. 

A big hug and thanks to Sophie for allowing me to collaborate on this fun series. Please check out my blog here if you enjoyed this post!

ttyl,

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Where has Life taken me?!

Hello everyone,

So today I have just had this sudden urge to write a blog post and let you all know what I've been up to recently and where I have been. I miss the days when I would just load up blogger and write...so that what I'm going to do today!

I never actually intended on taking a break from my blogging and you tube life however life has just taken over everything. So like many of you I have been crazy busy with exams and I thought that I could manage juggling everything but revision just took up so much time; much more than I had ever anticipated. However I can finally say that all my 'real' exams are over bar two but they don't count for too much. 

Also I have so busy with rehearsals. As some of you may or may not know if you follow me on twitter I am in my schools production of 'Grease'. We have been in rehearsals now for almost five and a half months and I can't believe that it has actually been that long but they are going well but I am super nervous to actually perform. So that is also what my time has been occupied with and what my time will be occupied with for the next month or so.

As well as those two main things life has been crazy busy with just general day to day life but I wanted to also chat about some really exciting things I have coming up soon that I would like to share with you all.

In about two weeks time I am actually going to be working at Superdrug for a week and I am so excited. I will do a full blog post with pictures about my whole experience and about what I have learn't because I am going to be mainly working on makeup and fragrance. 

Shortly after my time at Superdrug I will be attending three colleges around me to start making a decision as to what college I want to go to and what A levels I want to take which is really scary because it seems like it has come around so fast. I remember my first day at secondary school like it was yesterday. 

Finally at the start of July I become a year 11 and I will be going into my last year at school which to me is really scary, nervous and exciting.

One last thing I want to update you on is that I am currently in the process of having my blog re designed. I will do a full blog posts with the designer I used etc once it is all set up. So that's it for what I have been up too. Normal posts will resume every three days. This week I have a full week of guest blog posts coming up with a drugstore series so make sure you check back everyday to read them. If you have any posts you would like to see let me know. I hope you are all well. If you know what I am up to everyday go over to my blog and instagram where I post pretty much everyday.

DRUGSTORE SERIES GUEST POST: Blush

Hey guys!

I've only recently delved into the world blushers and turned to the drugstore to try some alternatives to the generic ones I was using. Over the past year or so, I have found some hidden gems that have become my holy grail blushers and I cant wait to share my top 5 with you!

5. Barry M Blusher in the shade 'Rose' (£4.59)- I had never really seen much publicity on any of the Barry M products apart from the lipsticks and of course their nail polishes, so I thought the only way to find out more would be to try them myself. I bought the blusher in the shade 'Rose' and found that it was perfect for giving a simple flush to a natural day- to-day look. The texture of the powder is generally smooth and blends into the skin very well. The pigmentation in the powder is not the boldest I've ever seen, but for day- to day use I find this useful as I can alter the boldness of my cheek depending on the look I'm going for. The packaging on this product is minimal and contains a small brush (which I tend not to use) which makes it very compact. I would also recommend this blush for younger girls who are just starting to experiment with make-up as it is very cheap and simple to use.

4. MUA Blusher in the shade 'Bubble Gum' (£1.00)- The first MUA product I tried was the Pro- Brow Kit, which took me by surprise for how cheap it was and I now use that for my brows every day. This provoked me (along with several recommendations) to leap into the MUA world! These blushers offer more than what you pay for in terms of pigmentation as they are very bold and bright. This of course means they last a life time as you only need to use a small amount of product at a time. The powder itself is very smooth and silky on the skin and works well with most looks and this shade in particular gives a flawless matte finish. The packaging is minimal as it only contains the blusher itself, but this can be a plus when traveling and need to squeeze as many products as possible into a make-up bag. For only £1.00, its definitely worth e

very penny!

3. Sleek Make- Up Blusher in 'Coral' (£4.49)- For me, Sleek blushers are amazing for their bold pigmentation which is why I tend to purchase the more 'out there' shades (for more of an evening look) to make the most of this lovely feature. Until I began to explore the world of blusher in more depth, I only really ever used Sleek blushers as I knew that they were compatible with my sensitive skin and gave my make- up a perfect finish. They really are a staple product to have in your collection and are great for new starters. 'Coral' is my holy grail shade from the Sleek collection because it really adds that pop of colour and brightens up my face. Overall, Sleek blushers are lovely to experiment with in terms of colour and matte or shimmery shades, and look flawless on all skin types. The packaging is small and compact containing a mirror to check you're make-up on your travels which ticks a box for me, and at £4.49, the price ticks a box for me too! 

2. GOSH Cosmetics Multicolored Blush in the shade '50 Pink Pie' (£5.99)- In terms of practicality, this multicolored blush by GOSH is simply amazing. The blush contains a light and a dark pink shade for a flush look and a light and a dark browny pink shade for a more tan or nude look. Each of the shades looks flawless either alone or mixed with the darker or lighter version of the colour. The blush has both matte and shimmery shades that glide smoothly onto the skin finishing your look perfectly. Each powder has a fine, smooth texture and the colours are delicately pigmented allowing you to build up the colour to as bright as you would like. Finally, the packaging on this product is very simplistic and minimal and does not contain a mirror which for me, is the only downside when wanting to travel. However, for £5.99, i will forgive you GOSH Cosmetics!

1. Bourjous Paris Blush in the shade '15 Rose Eclat' (£7.99)- This is my favourite blusher of all time and no matter how many drugstore or high end products I try, I always end up repurchasing this one. As well as smelling amazing, the blush is perfectly pigmented and applies so smoothly and gently onto the skin, blending amazingly and leaving the apples of the cheeks with a light healthy glow. This particular shade is my 'go to' colour as it is great for every day natural looks, however, it also looks flawless paired with a bright lip on a night out. The powder itself is very creamy in texture and gives the perfect balance between a matte and shimmery finish. Lastly, (because i could go on forever) the packaging is very practical and compact containing a mirror and a small applicator brush (which i don't use) which is great for throwing in your handbag on your way out of the door, and for £7.99, you cant complain!

There you go, my top 5 drugstore blushers! I would seriously recommend any of these blushers and trying different shades and textures is always fun too. You never know what you might find. 

All my love,

Kayla xxx

*This is a genuine rating of blushers that i have bought from the drugstore with my own money and have tried for a lengthy period of time. All of the opinions are honest and my own. 

Skincare Haul: N-SPA, Liz Earle, Clinique & More

Hello everyone!

Today's post is going to be a skincare haul because recently I have been buying a lot of new skincare in the hope that my skin will look good and blemish free for summer. I decided to invest in nicer skincare and really look into what I was buying so that I wouldn't be wasting my money on rubbish products.

I have a YouTube video explaining the products in more detail if you want to watch that too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyyV-l5fM3E

Clean and Clear:

Exfoliating Daily Wash - £2.99

Deep Cleansing Lotion - £2.99

Deep Action Cream Wash  - £3.50

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion -£29.50 

 N-SPA Oil-Free Moisture Gel - £7

N-SPA:

Replenishing Moisture Mask - £3

Ultimate Cleansing Tonic - £3

N-SPA:

Melting Cleansing Gel - £6

Hot Cloth Polish - £7

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish 100ml - £14.75 (With Muslim Cloth)

I hope you enjoyed this skincare haul. Let me know if you tried any of these products and your thoughts. If you want to see a full review of these products then let me know.

Love Sophie xo

US Review: Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette WITH SWATCHES!

Hello everyone!

Today is the first post of many US reviews. Just recently I took a trip with my mum to the states and visited New York. It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life and I really want to go again. I am currently going through New York blues. There will be a full post going up soon with pictures and places I recommend going and good restaurants etc as many of you on twitter wanted to see that.

In this post I am going to be talking about a cult beauty product in the blogging world- Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette. Although I didn't pick this up in my recent trip (I actually got this from a lovely subscriber last year) it's still from America and not a product readily available in the UK so I thought I would review it still anyways.

This was actually one of the products that I asked for because I had heard so much hype about it. Firstly the shades are so pigmented as you can see in the swatches down below. I was so stunned by the pigmentation of them especially for such cheap drugstore eye  shadows. However one thing I did notice was that they do have a lot of fall down when you apply them however for $4.99 which converts (roughly) to £2.96 it does not bother me one bit.

They are really creamy and soft and I find that if you dampen your brush and then put the eye shadows on them it intensifies the colour but also prevents a LOT of fall down.

The one thing I would say which I know from reading a lot of reviews people will disagree with me is that the colour combination on the second side of the palette is actually really hard to work with. Not because of a difference in consistency just the colours aren't really wearable everyday shades and they are quite unique shades that I would use for experimenting with makeup instead. Although they are gorgeous shades. Perhaps I could use them underneath my lower lash line?

Overall for the price I LOVE this palette the colours are so pigmented and I especially love the first side of the palette that creates a really pretty wearable day time look. I would recommend it if you can pick this up.

First Side of Palette IN ORDER

Second Side of Palette IN ORDER

Buy Here:
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wet-n-wild-color-icon-collection-eyeshadow/ID=prod6057326-product

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts if you have tried this palette.

MAC Lipstick/Eyeshadow GIVEAWAY!

Hello everyone!

Today is an exciting post here on cosmeticscase! It's a GIVEAWAY! I am so excited to be hosting my first giveaway and I decided to keep it simple and let you choose either a mac lipstick or eye shadow of your choice but it must be from the normal range not limited edition or pro. There will be one winner who will be contacted on May 4th, if you do not respond within 48 hours with your shipping details I will choose another winner.

RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

You must have parental permission to enter the giveaway if you are under 16.
You must be following cosmeticscase on bloglovin- MANDATORY ENTRY.
This giveaway is international.
I am not responsible for any damage or loss of the product during transit.
You will receive one mac item.

You must leave a comment on this blog post with a blog post idea. You can gain extra entries (see below). I will use a randomized website to choose the winner entering the amount of entries that you have.

Any more questions/queries tweet me @cosmeticscase or email me @ sophie.lou@msn.com
Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone.